Love Immortal
by lucky leprechaun
Summary: Written on a romantic whim when I was only halfway through the book Trickster's Choice. I don' t know, I thought the idea at least was kind of sadbutsweet. My first story ever, please let me know what you think!


Note: None of these characters are originally mine; they are from Tamora Pierce's book Trickster's Choice. This is my first posted fanfic, so please don't judge me too harshly. Also, confession… I wrote this spur-of-the-moment (you know how it is, when the muse speaks…), before actually having finished the book. I was probably halfway through. Just before Crow-Guy appears. So I'm betting it will clash with the real ending. Please be open-minded, and pretend you haven't read the whole book yet. :)

Aly stared at a large rock in the grass, thinking fast. She tried to imagine what her Da or Myles would have to say about this condition, but as far as she could remember neither of them had never been involved in a situation like this, ever. In fact she'd never heard of anything like it either. A god losing a wager to a mortal? It was almost unthinkable.

Kyprioth, still standing impatiently in front of the stump on which Aly was sitting, made a frustrated snort. It was clear that the Trickster was not enjoying admitting to anyone that he'd made a mistake. Aly almost smiled, but kept her lips carefully straight. If I work this right, she thought, Da will _have_ to make me a spy. A favor from a god… a god in debt… what could be more powerful? What else could I give him that would be more important?

But what, exactly, should I ask for, now? she wondered. He's waiting for an answer… and all of a sudden, the enormity of what she was about to do hit her. She was going home, bringing honor and power to her family, finally having done something to live up to her name and the expectations heaped upon her, and yet… this might mean her adventure ending, and her contact with Kyprioth being cut off. A strange wave of sadness washed over her. What? she asked herself. You fool, you should be thrilled at the prospect of ridding yourself of this trickster! Ask a favor and be done with it! But something odd was going on with her emotions. A different feeling was fighting its way to the surface, and try as she might to avoid confrontation, Aly realized she would miss the god. Very much. Startled by this new prospect, she made the mistake of looking up from the ground and into the god's eyes.

Kyprioth peered back at her from under his wild halo of salt-and-pepper hair, brown eyes meeting the gaze of her hazel-green ones. His eyebrows arched at funny angles as he pinched his lips together in an almost-glare, a weird parallel to the look of a sullen child who had gotten caught stealing cookies from the kitchen and was awaiting punishment. Something about that look made Aly catch her breath, though she did not show her whirlwind of emotions. A strange thought was going on in her head, a selfish thought that she despised herself for even beginning to think of: I could require him to stay with me instead… no! What am I thinking? I want to be a spy! I want to help Da! I don't need this god… this… around.

Kyprioth shook his head, jangling his copper jewelry. "So what'll it be, my dear?" Aly felt a strange shiver when he called her 'dear'… though he'd always done that before… "You'd better decide soon, or I'll think of some way to take it back. Too much control is bad for you mortals." He squinted, still staring into her eyes, and Aly's mind began to race. I could… I could… she thought. What is this? Why in Mirthos' name am I feeling this way? Am I _attracted _to this… _god?_ But he's a _god!_ This can't be!

Through this whirlwind of emotions, a thought suddenly stood out clearly in her head. _You could ask him to kiss you._ Aly stopped dead. She broke away from the god's gaze, stared wildly off to the horizon, where some goats were wandering. Kyprioth likes goats, she thought. Kyprioth… no. No, no, no. Ask him for a favor for Da. Ask him…

Aly, suddenly feeling like crying at this goodbye, opened her mouth to ask her favor, and the words flew into her head: Ask him to kiss you…

Kyprioth gasped. Aly, startled, looked up at him again. She hadn't said anything yet, and she wondered what had alarmed him. He was staring at something over her shoulder. She turned rapidly, saw nothing, and turned back to the god. He was still staring… but then she realized, to her embarrassment, that he was staring at her, and not something behind her. She frowned, turned her head. "What?" she asked, attempting nonchalance, hoping he wouldn't see how upset she was at the prospect of never seeing him again. "Have I grown horns?"

Assuming a look of confused, slightly amused incredulity, Kyprioth said slowly, "You… well, well, well. My dear, I'd never have thought it. A kiss from a god… my my… you hid _that _cleverly."

Aly gasped. Her mouth dropping open, she stared at the god, face rapidly turning red. "How… you… I didn't say that!"

"You forget, my dear, that I'm a god. Our hearing is by far superior to you mortals', even to the point where we can even hear what remains unsaid. Well, well, well." Kyprioth's voice was still incredulous, but becoming all the more amused as the scarlet shade of Aly's face deepened. "Of all the things you could ask for, why that?"

"I didn't _ask _for…"

"Oh, but you did," Kyprioth said, voice infused with wicked humor. "I can _tell_. And have you been thinking of me all this time? Dazzled by my godly presence? Lovesick through my absence? Smitten by my charming, captivating ways?" Aly was beyond embarrassed. Gods, she thought, what have I done? I let my guard down for _one minute_ and…

"I heard that too, dearest one. You ought to be more careful what sneaky thoughts you let into your head…"

"So _what?_" Aly demanded, anger finally beginning to overcome her embarrassment. "So I'm sort of attracted to you. Fine, make fun of me, see if I care! Don't forget you still owe me, I can still demand a favor of you, and I'm starting to think I'm going to require you to _shut up!_ I thought you were a _good_ trickster. I thought I could trust you to help me and to… to… not do something like _this!_" She stared angrily at a tree in the distance, determined not to cry or let her embarrassment make her make a mistake. I have the upper hand in this, she reminded herself. I have power here. So what if he knows that I… like him. He still owes me. And this is silly, really. Okay, so I kind of knew I liked him for a while. But he's a god, this whole thing is impossible, and the best thing would be to forget the whole affair. I can just go home, to Da, and keep on with my life…

"Aly." Kyprioth said her name gently, all mockery gone from his voice. "I'm sorry I made fun of you. It's just that you mortals amuse me. Gods never seem to make mistakes for me to laugh at, and mortals… well, you all are full of them." Aly continued staring into the distance, attempting aloofness but listening hard to his every word. His voice was so nice to listen to. She would miss it. "I must admit, your request threw me somewhat off guard. I was imagining it would be something more along the lines of… well, I wasn't thinking it would be so pleasant on my part." Aly started. So he wasn't so appalled by her semi-request, then. What, did he say _pleasant_?

"Aly, my dear. Have you left me?" Kyprioth inquired. "Have you heard anything I just said, O Discomfited One?"

"Kyprioth, you confuse me. You're right, that's not what I'd like to ask for. To define the terms of our wager, I ask of you that you…"

"Aly."

"that you respond, honorably, to one request from my father in my place. That you fulfill his request as you would have mine. I only ask you to perform one task. Please do this for me, and our wager will be complete on both sides."

Kyprioth squinted his eyes and looked at Aly. It was impossible to read what he was thinking. Aly chased romantic, disappointed thoughts from her head, hoping he wouldn't be able to tell how saddened she was by giving this relationship up. You silly girl, she told herself firmly, it's much better this way. You need a god's affections like you need a hole in the head. Complications, that's all it would be.

"Aly," the god began, with a suspiciously amused smile on his lips, "I admire your request, and agree to perform a task for your father to pay my wager-debt. Agreed?" He clapped his hands together, jangling his glittering copper jewelry. "So, now that that's settled, I'll be off. I mustn't give Mirthos any reason to be suspicious, hmm?"

Aly bit her lip and attempted a smile, striving to keep tears out of her eyes. "Farewell, Kyprioth. Luck be with you in all your endeavors, and try not to be caught by your brother… think how embarrassing that would be."

"I shudder at the very idea. Humiliation, shame and disgrace, all over again. Not that it hasn't happened before, mind you. Just very, very seldom." And with that, he was gone.

Aly slumped to the ground, hating herself for such a feeble display of weakness, but she couldn't help herself. She felt like she had done the right thing, though she knew it was going to hurt for a while. Tears began their steady flow down her face. Wiping them away with her sleeve, Aly sniffled and forced her mind to work. My job here is done, she thought. I can go home now. With my papers, and my seal, no one would dare stop me. A three day's ride and a bit more sailing, and I could be home at Pirate's Swoop before the week is out. I should think about provisions, though. It would be foolishness to think of leaving without…

Aly stifled a scream. Someone had snuck up behind her and put their hands on her shoulders; she'd jumped up, slapped them away, and tripped, completely taken by surprise and caught weaponless. Struggling to her feet again, she whirled around to face… Kyprioth. Stunned, she stared at the god, who was laughing merrily and slapping his knee. Anger began to filter through her shock, masking fresh embarrassment. Why did he come back? "You… you…" she stammered. "Curses! Just as I thought I was rid of you, you have to…"

But she was cut off as the god walked over to her, put his arms around her, and gently pressed his lips to hers. Shocked, Aly went limp and almost lost her balance. Kyprioth had to support her weight as she found her footing, holding onto his shoulders as she did so. The kiss was short, but soft, and Aly was dazed by the end. Completely and utterly confused, she stared blankly at him as he smiled down at her.

"Oh, Aly. What, did you think I would up and leave you, just like that?" Kyprioth asked. "And after that touching, _tragic_ display…" He kissed her a second time. Aly was having a hard time breathing. His kisses had an astonishing effect on her, leaving her weak-kneed and feeling as though she'd like nothing better than to fold herself into his arms. At first she tried to keep control of her rational thoughts, to keep from being swept away by romance, but after the second kiss, she gave it up as a lost cause. When Kyprioth drew away, she left her arms around his shoulders, and looked right into his face, smiling. He smiled, too. Aly was amazed to see true, honest love in his eyes, rather than mischief and comedy.

"My dear, from the look on your face, it seems that you may have forgiven me," Kyprioth told her. He took a hand and ran his fingers down the side of her face. Aly shivered. "Is it really so surprising to you that a god might love a mortal?"

"You always said… how limited we are. How shortsighted, and incapable…"

"That's not _you_, Aly." Kyprioth said strongly. "You're _different_. And it's not _all _mortals who are that way. Besides, didn't I also say how much more _interesting_ humans are than gods? Imagine what it must be like growing up with my brother. I _need_ mortals. They keep me sane." He kissed Aly lightly on the forehead. "And in love…"

"You're _in love_ with me?" Aly squeaked. She blushed slightly for her ignorance as Kyprioth rolled his eyes.

"Yes, Aly dearest. That's why I'm _kissing _you…" he explained as he lowered his lips to hers for a third time. This time, Aly was more prepared, and kissed him back. She let herself melt into his arms as he ran a hand through her now shoulder-length hair, holding her head gently. He pulled her closer to him with another hand across her back. This was beyond anything else she'd ever experienced with anyone else, any of the boys from the university. She felt deeply in love, and the kiss was perfection.

When Kyprioth pulled away, Aly rested her head on his chest. He continued to hold her, petting her head as one would a cat, resting his chin on her shoulder. She sighed. He smelled good – like a mix of spices Chenaol used in her cooking, and ocean smells. She wrapped her arms around him in a gentle embrace, and they stayed that way for a long time.

Half an hour and many kisses later, Kyprioth told Aly that he would send her back to Pirate's Swoop. Both were reluctant to leave each other, and the parting was long and drawn out, filled with comforting hugs and little kisses. Kyprioth gave Aly his word that he would return to her, before long. "One day, soon," he told her, "you'll be sitting out in a field, somewhere, alone, and you'll feel hands on your shoulders…" After a last long, loving kiss, Kyprioth took Aly's hand, and put something cool and smooth inside of it. Gently closing her fingers, he gave her one last bittersweet smile, and vanished. Before Aly could cry, she felt a cool breeze blowing her hair and saw a strange, sparkling ball of light in the sky ahead of her. She blinked. When she opened her eyes, she was standing in her bedroom at Pirate's Swoop, and she could hear her Da's voice echoing up the corridor from the floor below. Looking down at her clenched fist, she opened her hand slowly to reveal a piece of copper jewelry, threaded as a pendant. It looked suspiciously like the one Kyprioth had been wearing just minutes before. Aly wiped a tear off her cheek, smiling slightly, slipped the pendant over her head and tucked it under her shirt, so as not to be obvious, and headed down the stairs.


End file.
